...I did not struggle with weight growing up, but after getting married and having five kids, I had moved solidly into the "overweight" population. In 2006 I was able to lose the extra pounds (50 of them) and get to goal. But staying there, that is another story. Slow but steady, the weight has crept back on over the years. So here we go again ...

Monday, April 25, 2016

Distracted by Duckies

If you followed my blog last year, you probably picked up on the fact that we raised ducklings. I never got around to doing a blog post here, although I had one in mind ("Are My Pets Making Me Fat?"). I just barely got around to posting a summary of our experience on the family blog (Daddy's Duckies). It's almost duckie time again... we have seven eggs in the incubator getting ready to hatch.

I'm a little worried about the disruption to my morning routine. I remember last year ... instead of getting in my early elliptical, I was changing the bedding and water in the ducky box. I was taking them outside or putting them in the bath for their exercise. Even when they got older and moved outside, every morning I'd be getting them fresh food and water ... it ate into my exercise time! I've been complaining a bit about the the upcoming hatch. Ducklings are cute, but they are a LOT of work. Last year we only had three, this year, it looks like all seven eggs are developing ... SEVEN? Yikes!

A few weeks ago, I noticed a pair of adult ducks wandering the neighborhood. Now that isn't at all unusual. There is a nearby canal, and many a Mallard nests there. Every year we walk the canal and see so many mama birds with their babies. But it IS a little more unusual for ducks to actually be in our neighbors front yards. I mentioned to Hubby how much simpler it would be if a pair of wild ducks nested. We could get the whole egg experience without as much work. He laughed and said the chances of that were pretty much zero.

But ... after seeing the ducks several times, I was able to coax them into our backyard. I filled up a pool for them to swim in, and provided them with food and water. I could TRY. That first night, I spent more than an hour with the ducks, and my son #3 said "see Mom, you DO like duckies!" The ducks have been flying away each night, but they have been returning every single day! Sometimes they would again land in a neighbor's yard, and I'd again encourage them into ours. I've spent time out digging in the garden to find them worms. Making sure their food is full and their water is clean. Come on duckies ... it's a great place for a nest! I'm already attached, and worry when they are late showing up, or I only get one of the two. We are suspecting that the female MAY be one of ours that flew away last fall. While still skittish, she's not as afraid of us as her boyfriend. When I go dig worms, she comes right up to me with a look of expectation (not eating out of my hand, but coming within a foot or so). Even with the boys walking through the backyard to head to the trampoline, the ducks have stuck around. During the day anyway. They are still flying away each night. Stay duckies, stay!

We're going to get ducklings one way or another ... I guess we might be overrun with our own AND a wild pair and their babies. But it sure would be fun! You can follow my Day to Day Doings and Weekly Recaps to see how things progress. I'm sure duckies will be playing a bit part in our family in the near future.

It's going to impact my exercise ... I know it! Taking away my time. It already has a bit (with my wild birds). I'm watching out the window and worrying about them. Even today, I WAS going to get in weights or a session on the bike, but instead, I ended up making a muvee (Ducky Days 2015) and spending time on my ducky blog posts. Distracted by duckies indeed!

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I'm JenB ... this is my journey.

About My Blog ...

As I started this journey (again) I wanted a place to keep a daily diary, to showcase some of the graphs and photos that visually capture the process and to have a place to record my thoughts. This blog is mainly for me... although as long as I'm writing this all down, I might as well put it out there for others to see too.

In addition to my weekly weigh-in, I'll try to post fitness and food features. Because books (reading while riding, or audiobooks while walking) and TV (my entertainment while I elliptical) are part of my journey, I have monthly posts about what I'm watching/reading as well.

Got Graphs?

What can I say ... I'm a visual person. I created this blog in part, to help me keep track of many of my graphs which often only seemed to be available for a limited time. I want to keep them!

Motivational Memberships

Click on the image above to go to my My Fitness Pal page

Click on the picture above to go to my Fitbit page *Ü*

Click on the image above to go to my Walker Tracker page

Pinterest

Hubby & Me ... Nov2006 at my goal weight. I like that my arm actually looks slender. I remember hubby complimenting me on my triceps. I want to get there again!

Summer 2009 ... my 20 year high school reunion. Not at my lowest weight, but still feeling good about myself. Hubby looks pretty cute too! We went to the same high school, so we'd been to his reunion the year before.

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